Course Rep Training

Emails have been flying out this week to academic staff about the course rep training which is taking place in week 4 - next week, yet it feels like Fresher's Week was only days ago. So much has happen though since....

This evening i have finished the first issue of the course rep newsletter, which will go out tomorrow - once my email decides to work again!

Below is a copy of the training details - don't forget, even if you did the training last year please come along, your experience and input will be excellent for those reps who are just starting out.

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Training for Course Reps will take place during week 4. Please email volunteer@reading.ac.uk with your preferred sessions. Any student that sits on a Staff-Student Committee is welcome to come along, the sessions are interactive and informative. We had excellent feedback from last year.

Monday 30th Oct 6.30-8.30pm Palmer 106
Tuesday 31st Oct 12-2pm Palmer G05
Thursday 2nd Nov 12-2pm Palmer 107

Also this year we have Faculty Rep training

Friday 3rd Nov 12-2 Palmer G02

This will have RUSU and University input, and is an additional session to the Course Rep Training, providing more detailed sessions on meetings, minutes and communication.

We will re-run some extra sessions in week 7 for those who miss any of the above.

If you have any questions about the training or the scheme, please contact Ryan Bird r.j.e.bird@reading.ac.uk or visit www.rusu.co.uk/coursereps. Also I would be grateful if you could email me details of your new reps so I can add them to the RUSU Course Rep mailing list.

Many thanks

Ryan

r.j.e.bird@rdg.ac.uk

National Demo Tickets now on sale.......!

Tickets are avaliable from the Box Office

£2 to secure your place on the coach, free breakfast @ rusu before the coaches leave, plus a ticket to the 'After Demo Debate' on Thursday Week 4.

Join us for our day out in London............

Our voice will be heard!

Ryan

www.rusu.co.uk/demo

National Demo

With Just over two weeks to go, the Demo is fast upon us.

I have spent some time today updating the website www.rusu.co.uk/demo

and entering over half of the emails from the petition during freshers week.... guess what i will be doing with my sunday afternoon.....

Give it a go sessions will start next week, your chance to pop along to 3sixty @ lunchtimes to take part in some pre demo action. chants, letters to MPs, T-shirt printing.... and many more check the demo website for more information.

Tickets go on sale on monday from the box office, £2 to secure your place on the coach, plus a free breakfast, and ticket for the after demo debate in week 4 (more to follow).

Its going to be a great day out.... so keep sunday 29th October free in your diary.

Ryan

After a dissapointing Senate - We carry on the fight....

The university press release about senate's comments on the Physics closure - found here



The unions response is below.




Friday 12th OctoberUniversity Management forcing through Physics closure

Following a tense and thorough examination of the University’s Senior Management’s recommendation to close the Physics department, University Senate, the Academic Governing body, voted in favour of the plans.

It what can only be seen as a blow to its reputation in the world of science, Reading University’s plans to close down Physics are only weeks away from final ascent.

Senior Management were quick to rubbish their own report from six months ago which promised to solve the future of Physics. Despite conceding that they had solved short term budget problems, Senior Management were persistent in trying to condemn Physics to the long list of departments they have axed over the years.

The Students’ Union were quick to identify the lack of any joined up thinking within the sector, due to Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Higher Education and Life Long Learning announcing his commitment on Tuesday to science at Higher Education with £18million worth of initiatives to create more demand from school pupils. The University were accused of hypocrisy and short-sightedness during Senate by Faculty Representatives.

It also emerged that the University of Reading had sought support from HEFCE before consulting staff, students and campus Unions. This blasé attitude to dealing with the issues left many wondering about the University’s commitment to the campus community.

Dave Lewis, RUSU President

"It was a shame that the VC had to blackmail academics to accept his plans, promising to cut posts and cut funding if they didn’t back him."

"Academics were overwhelming in their support for a Physics presence at Reading, and acknowledged that with the closure of Physics goes any credibility that Reading had towards physical sciences"

"We remain as committed as ever to a University that promotes diversity over narrowness and students over surplus"


Ryan Bird Vice-President Education

"The last few weeks have been incredible; students in Reading organising themselves to campaign against these plans. We have listened loud and clear to the views, opinions and values of both prospective and current students all wanting to see a Physics presence at Reading"

"Reading should be re-affirming their commitment to Science; with an increase in student numbers overall this year, the message should be clear, Reading is open for Science and that should include one of the fundamental science’s on which many others are based - Physics"

Strategy and Finance Committee, compromising of lay members of University Council and University Senior Management will meet early next week to make the final recommendations before they come to University Council, the University’s Governing Body, on November 20th.

The next few weeks will see an intensification of campaigning, with support coming from local MPs, media, national organisations, the Higher Education community and society, as everyone recognises the importance of a Physics department at Reading.

Academics and students around campus have been asking the Vice-Chancellor “Oh Dr Beecham, what have you done?”

ENDS

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I remember watching Oh Dr Beecham on the TV with my nan..... the moral of the story clear in my mind.....maybe with the help of some film students we could start work on a new version...

"Oh Vice Chancellor what have you done".....

Ryan

Physics Forum

Monday - 1pm Ditchburn Lecture Theatre, Physics

Your chance to hear the thoughts and views of Dave Lewis - RUSU President, Simon Stacey - Physics Society President, Prof John Blackman - Head of Physics, and also a member of Senior Management.

Followed by questions and a vote.

Ryan

Freshers Farye

Wed, Thurs & Fri was Fresher's Farye, despite the wet weather all was a success.

I spent most of my time on the RUSU stall & the Training/Volunteering/MASIV/Course Reps stall. I really enjoyed the three days, after a crazy start to the week i remember why i do this job and how great it is!

The RUSU stall had three main points

> for students to meet the sabbatical officers and find out more about us
> highlight the terms campaigning activities

> raise awareness of the National Demo....

I think we achieved the above, but certainly the raising awareness of the National Demo. I am yet to count up how many people signed the petition but i am sure its well over 1000 - which is great! We also got over 300 photos for our photo petition - which will be about shortly, so keep your eyes peeled in the Union.

Visit www.rusu.co.uk/demo for more information

After a week in which i have spent more time in the Union than out of it, i used my day off very constructively..... stayed in bed till lunchtime, watched tv, popped to town and had a takeaway!

Highlights of my week - International Salsa evening, Freshers Farye, Scott Mills, Zane Lowe, GinaG, Wednesday & Saturday night and seeing the physics students taking an active lead in saving their department -passionate about their subject, angry with senior management and ready to be heard.

Low of the week - falling over in the mud after a crazy Wednesday night......

Ryan

hmmm....Why is it that no matter the colour of bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white....?

Freshers week is here!!

Despite the physics news, Freshers week has got off to a flying start! Campus was busy, things were bussling in the union and its just brilliant!





The Queue for Scott Mills was from the Union to Palmer Building, the longest i have ever seen them! Spent most of the day out and about, chatting to people, managing queues and pointing the many many who were lost in the right direction.

'The box office queue before it even opened'

Always makes me laugh, your first day at Uni is spent in queues, from tickets to access cards, and your last day at uni is spent in a queue outside the Great Hall waiting from Graduation!

Right off to eat some dinner, then back to the union, for my first time on the RUSU bars!

Wish me luck!

Ryan

Physics Blog!

http://physicsatreading.blogspot.com

University plans to dump Physics

What a weekend!

By 3pm Friday i had cleared my inbox, intray and desk and was ready for International weekend and Freshers week, everything seemed to be going to plan.

4pm - Dave reads on the education guardian website that Reading University plans to close physics! The communication about this has been appalling, with many people in the University finding out the way we did.

On the first day of International weekend, the eve of the biggest open day of the year, and days before thousands of new students arrive, what was already set to be a hectic few weeks has just become even more hectic.

Our first press release can be found here.

Lots of emails from concerned students have started flooding in, these emails are not just Physics students, the whole student community is disappointed and concerned about these plans.

The Student Union opposes these plans, and more will follow shortly.

Saturday was Open Day, when 8000+ prospective students visited Reading, including many to look at Physics, people who we spoke to were angry and outraged at this sudden announcement.

Whilst i sit here in my office on a Sunday afternoon replying to concerned students, angry students and student who are ready to come together as a strong and active voice, it still baffles me how a University like Reading, can just dump a subject so key to the understanding of the world around us.

ryan